Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 [VIDEO]

We finally got our paws on the newly announced Samsung Galaxy Note 7. As we mentioned in our comparison with the Note 5, there’s not a lot of huge changes. The biggest change revolves around the curved display, which is on both sides now. This is the first Note with the double curved Edge screen like the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

So how does it feel? We had concerns that the Edge screen on such a large device would be uncomfortable, but Samsung has matched the curve on the back. That means there’s no sharp corner or flat edges on the sides of the phone. It feels really nice in the hand, but actually using it could be a different story. We’ll find out later if the Edge screen leads to a lot of accidental presses.

Samsung has also made some subtle changes to the S Pen, which is what makes the Note a Note. First things first, it’s impossible to put the S Pen in backwards. You can’t even get it in past the “Samsung” logo. The tip of the S Pen has been reduced by half the thickness, which leads to higher accuracy. The S Pen suite of apps and software is largely the same with a few new tidbits. We’ll be diving into those features in our full Tips & Tricks article.

Next to the front-facing camera is another new feature. The secondary front camera is for scanning your eyeball, specifically your iris. The camera works in conjunction with an infrared light to recognize your iris and unlock the device. Setting it up takes no longer than adding your fingerprint. If you wear glasses or contacts you might have some issues with the iris scanner.

Full specs

Display: 5.7-inch 2560×1440 SuperAMOLED Edge display
Chipset: Octa-core 2.3GHz processor in the international model (likely the same Samsung Exynos 8890 used in the global GS7)
RAM: 4GB of RAM
Storage: 64GB of storage as standard, microSD up to 256GB
Battery: 3,500mAh battery with wireless fast charging
Other features: USB Type-C, Iris scanner, IP68 water-resistant, fingerprint sensor
Camera: Dual-Pixel” 12MP camera with OIS, f/1.7 aperture; 5MP front-facing camera
Software: Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS
Dimensions: 153.5mm x 73.9mm x 7.9 mm
Weight: 168g